


The Keating One

by Nickka



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Drama, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lawyers, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mystery, Romance, Soulmates, Trials
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22438453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nickka/pseuds/Nickka
Summary: Alexis Keating returns home after his father's death.This story is set in seasons 1, 2 and 3. Mostly a family drama with some little Annalise-Eve romance.Additional character.Without further thought, Alex grabbed a backpack and started stuffing some clothes and some other necessities in it. Hurriedly, she changed into a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, picked up her jacket and car keys and headed for the door.She was going home.
Relationships: Annalise Keating/Eve Rothlo, Annalise Keating/Nate Lahey, Annalise Keating/Sam Keating
Comments: 14
Kudos: 22





	1. She's Going Home

**Author's Note:**

> In my story, (SPOILER ALLERT!) Vivian and Gabriel never existed.  
> And Sam Keating was a very very bad man!
> 
> I finished watching and reading everything over and over. Until april, i needed something to hold on to. That's why i'm writing this.  
> Please note that English is not my native language.
> 
> Enjoy your reading.  
> Your feedback is highly appreciated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day: Circles Out Of Salt - Snow Ghosts

**NEW YORK CITY, 8.00 PM**

It had been a very long and tiring day for Alex who had been busy promoting the new case record campaign of her law firm, paying all the visits to the DA'a office, all the judges, other corporal law firms, reporters and the governer's office. At the end of the week she found she was exhausted when she finally crawled into bed in her Upper East Side apartment.

She had been working hard lately, throwing herself into her job which was literally running one of the most prestigious law firms in Manhattan as a managing partner.

"I have so much work to do tomorrow," she sighed to herself as she removed the buckle from her blond hair and finally let her body relax under the puffy comforter. She was just about to fall asleep when her phone buzzed. It was an email from her boyfriend, Evan.

"Are you related to this guy?" he asked in his email and attached two videos.

Alex curiously opened one of the videos. It was a clip taken from a news report.

"The human remains were found one week ago at the landfill. And although police have yet to come forward with a public statement, our sources tell us the body belongs to Middleton University professor Sam Keating, reported missing by his wife on December the 13th. Mr. Keating is also wanted for questioning in the murder investigation of Lila Stangard. Right now, police are still trying to determine the cause of death."

"Oh my god!" Alex gulped. Tears blurred her vision as she tried to focus on the screen. She couldn't help herself, but fell hopelesly into an old unwelcomed flashback.

**_**FLASHBACK**_ **

**_NINE YEARS AGO, PROFESSOR KEATING'S HOUSE, PHILADELPHIA_ **

_"Let go of me!" Alex shouted as she tried to push him away from herself, "You're disgusting!"_

_"No, Alex baby, listen to me!" Sam pleaded._

_"Don't touch me!" Alex yelled backing up until her back was up against the wall._

_They were standing just a foot away from the stairs which led to the second floor. The house was silent like a graveyard. Alex could smell the liquor is Sam's breath._

_"Come on, Alex!"_

_"You're drunk! Let go of me! She will hear!"_

_"Don't worry. She's asleep like a baby. You know, drugs... She won't hear us. You're so beautiful." Sam smiled like a pervert as he reached to touch her waist._

_Alex jerked herself from the wall yelling, "DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU PERVERT! YOU'RE MY FATHER FOR GOD'S SAKE. I'M DONE. I'M LEAVING! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"_

_With that, she grabbed her brief case from the floor and stormed out of her father's house, slamming the door as she went. And she never came back..._

**_**END OF FLASHBACK**_ **

Alex wiped the tears from her eyes and looked straight at the wall with haunted green eyes full of pain and fear. Then she turned her attention to her phone again and opened the second video clip.

"An arrest have been made in the death of Middleton University professor Sam keating. The suspect in question, former Philadelphia Police Detective Nate Lahey, who has been romantically linked to Annalise Keating, the wife of the murder victim. Detective Lahey was let go from Philadelphia Police Department late last year though sources say Lahey's former involvement with the department will in no way affect treatment as a suspect going forward. Authorities are not releasing specifics but we're told the arrest comes after the discovery in incriminating physical evidence fround in the wooded area."

For a moment, Alex thought she should pretend she hadn't seen these videos and continue her life as usual. He was a bastard and he was dead to her anyway. She looked around the room as if she was trying to convince herself, her eyes harder than ever, but then her face softened and a strange expression crossed it. It was longing. Her stepmother Annalise's face appeared in her mind. The woman was the closest thing to a mother Alex ever had in her life. She trusted her completely. Annalise Keating was the reason she was who she was today: a successful lawyer and a managing partner of a law firm in New York. And Alex had left her, _okay not her but well anyway_ , without any explanation nine years ago. And she had never visited or never called since.

Without further thought, Alex grabbed a backpack and started stuffing some clothes and some other necessities in it. Hurriedly, she changed into a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, picked up her jacket and car keys and headed for the door.

She was going home.

tbc...


	2. Let It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day: The Other Side - Woodkid

Overwhelmed by the weight of her own thoughts, Annalise walked into her bedroom, her shoulders slumped with despair, her silent tears sliding down her face. With trembling hands, she sorrowfully pulled the comforter off the bed and the pillows. Some pillows went on the floor but she didn't care. She wouldn't care even if the sky fell or the earth sank.

Earlier that day, the police had found Sam's wedding ring in the woods with a fingerprint on it. They interrogated her and asked her if she had known anything about the disappearance of the ring. She'd said no. Nate had been arrested for the murder of Sam, and she had witnessed the arrest at the police station since it'd been her own doing.

Annalise kicked off her heels, even without taking her jacket off she crawled in her bed and under the covers, hugging herself as if to nurse her aching heart. She thought it was like she was trapped in this awful situation and she would never get away. Her breaths came with great difficulty as she started panicking and felt she was suffocating physically and spiritually. Her chest was tight, her body ached with stiffness yet she was numb.

It was then that she heard the front door of her house open and close.

"Annalise?" a voice called.

Annalise's heart thudded and her mouth went dry. Footsteps sounded across the enterance hall.

"Annalise?" the voice called again, with concern.

She perked her ears up after a moment's stillness to try and detect the voice. She climbed out of the bed solemnly as she was still very weak. Wiping her tear-stricken face with the back of her hand, she walked out of her room to the head of the stairs. Slowly, she looked down the stairs with an anxious expression on her face and gasped as she saw a female figure standing at the other end of the staircase, looking up right at her. Annalise almost squinted to be sure of her eyes and as recognition sunk in; her breath she didn't know she had been holding was released in a shaky, intense sigh.

**_**FLASHBACK**_ **

**_ NINE YEARS AGO AT THE EXACT SPOT _ **

_When she heard the commotion coming from downstairs, Annalise got out of her bed walked out of her room to the head of the stairs. Slowly, she looked down the stairs with an anxious expression on her face and gasped as she saw her husband, drunk as a loud, trying to touch his own daughter in an inappropriate manner. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and bile rose in her throat as she watched the scene unfold in front of her._

_"Let go of me!" Alex shouted as she tried to push him away from herself, "You're disgusting!"_

_"No, Alex baby, listen to me!" Sam pleaded._

_"Don't touch me!" Alex yelled backing up until her back was up against the wall._

_"Come on, Alex!"_

_"You're drunk! Let go of me! She will hear!"_

_"Don't worry. She's asleep like a baby. You know, drugs... She won't hear us. You're so beautiful." Sam smiled like a pervert as he reached to touch her waist._

_Alex jerked herself from the wall yelling, "DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU PERVERT! YOU'RE MY FATHER FOR GOD'S SAKE. I'M DONE. I'M LEAVING! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"_

_Annalise watched Alex grabbing her briefcase from the floor and storming out of the house, slamming the door as she went._

**_**END OF FLASHBACK**_ **

****

"Hey.." Alex greeted with a sad smile.

Annalise's legs gave way under her and she sunk down to the floor, sitting on the top step, nestling to the rails. Her eyes watered again. She swallowed heavily as she tried to calm the fierce pounding of her heart.

Alex dropped her backpack and ran up the stairs. She sat down next to Annalise and wrapped both her arms around her, pulling her close. Her silent tears were worse than any kind of sobbing. Because she knew that Annalise would never let anyone ever see her grieving. Alex murmured nonsense soothing noises, put her hand by her face and tucked her into her own shoulder.

"Let it out," she whispered as she started rocking back and forth, "I got you."

A sob escaped Annalise's lips, her shoulders shuddered and she started crying, hard. All the tears were now leaving her eyes after a long time of suppressing herself. She was venting out all the pain which she was holding in her heart.

Curling her arms around Alex's waist and clenching her hands in her shirt, Annalise kept sobbing and sobbing, until her eyes were too dry to cry anymore.

tbc...


	3. Then I'll Listen To You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day: Dark Matter - Les Friction

For a while, Alex did nothing but stroke Annalise’s back in long soothing motions, her cheek resting on top of her head. She didn’t know how long they’d been sitting there, but eventually, she noticed her cries had turned to sniffles, after everything had finally left her.

“All cried out?” Alex asked, softly.

Annalise nodded.

“No more tears to shed?”

“No…” came a muffled answer.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked, playful this time. She was trying to ease the tension and get Annalise distracted.

“Yeah!” Annalise chuckled a little.

“Good… Good…” Alex murmured, patting her back.

Several more moments passed before Annalise finally moved, pulling herself back.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice husky from crying, “I didn’t mean to fall apart like this. I’m so sorry.”

Alex lifted her hand to stop Annalise.

“You don’t need to apologise to me. I mean it!” Alex’s face was deadly serious and highly concerned.

“No…No…” Annalise protested, shaking her head bashfully, “You souldn’t have seen me like this. But… but it’s just… so overwhelming that you’re here now. I’m sorry you had to see this.”

“Well,” Alex smiled profoundly, “I’m glad I was the one to see this. Now, come on, stop eating your heart out and let me put you to bed, okay? Your hands are getting cold already.” She gently helped Annalise up to her feet and guided her to the bedroom.

When they reached the bedroom, she stood her beside the bed and helped her out of her shirt and skirt. Reaching to the foot of the bed for her robe, Alex gently put it on her shoulders. Annalise slipped into it and sat on the edge of the bed, curling the soft fabric aroud herself.

After that Annalise instinctively reached for her wig, but then changed her mind hesitantly.

“Do you mind if I helped you with that too?” Alex asked with a genuine, understanding smile on her pale face.

Annalise dropped her eyes, _giving_ her head the tiniest shake. So Alex gladly pulled the wig off and helped her get into bed, delicately tucking her in.

“Remember I used to call you mom?” she smiled nervously as she _sat at the edge of the bed_ and started _playing with the comforter_. She scrunched it beneath her palms then smoothed it down.

“And I used to love it.” came the answer right away. It was exhausted but yet mischievous.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I… I mean… Would you still like that?” Alex’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

“Yeah. I’d love that.” Annalise replied, whispering.

“So can I still call you mom?”

“Yes.”

Alex sighed letting all the tension flow from her body. _Her eyes shone with_ gratitude and joy.

“Mom?” she vocalized, giving it a try. It felt just right.

“Yeah?”

“I missed you!” Her tears finally fell.

“I missed you too, baby.” Annalise replied, scooting closer to Alex, her hand reaching out _and touching her cheek_ as she continued to speak. “But I knew you had your reasons.”

“Mom?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Do you mind if I stay?”

“I don’t mind at all,” Annalise smiled again, “I want you to.” She patted on the other side of the bed. “Come on, hop in.”

Alex gladly kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed next to her mother.

**_**FLASHBACK**_ **

**_ TEN YEARS AGO IN ANNALISE'S BEDROOM _ **

_It had been a week now, without her baby boy and now Sam had left too. She was slowly falling apart. She was staring at the ceiling from her bed when her soft cries gradually turned into violent sobs. That was when her daughter knocked softly on the other side of the door._

_"Mom?" nineteen-year-old Alex was standing by the door, worried. "Can I come in? Are you alright?"_

_Annalise forced herself to stop crying, but didn't bother to wipe her damp cheeks._

_"Yeah, you can come in." she replied, her voice was raw from the aching sobs that had been shaking from her throat only moments before._

_Slowly cracking the door open, Alex walked in the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Taking her mother's hand in hers, she stroked it softly and without saying anything, she just looked into her eyes._

_"What is it?" Annalise asked._

_"I'm really worried, mom. Talk to me? Please?"_

_"I killed him. It's my fault." Annalise whispered faintly._

_"Mom, of course it's not your fault. It was an accident!"_

_Loud, racking sobs rocked her body, and Annalise wailed loudly into her daughter's hands. Alex was quick to move. Laying down beside her, she slide her arms around her mother, trying to soothe her. She had never seen Annalise like this before. It kind of broke her heart to see her mother struggle and carry the burden alone._

_“It's going to be alright,” she whispered against Annalise's hair before kissing the top of her head as she kept sobbing quietly._

**_**END OF FLASHBACK**_ **

****

“Won’t you ask me if I did it?” Annalise asked, rolling over to face Alex.

“Nah. I know you didn't." Alex replied, shaking her head, snuggling a little.

"How?"

"Hello, I know you. You are not capable of something like that."

"What if I was?"

"No, you're not. Don't play me!"

"Don't you want to know what happened?"

"Mom, he was already dead to me. I don't care if he is... dead again... now."

For a long moment there was a silence between them during which Alex heard Annalise's heavy breathing. 

"But..." Annalise finally decided to talk, "...what if I want to tell you what happened?"

Alex raised herself a little on the bed, putting her elbow on the bed, supporting her head with her hand. Without breaking eye contact, she moved her hand and held her mother's hand. A quick squeeze and then a release. It was a brief gesture but it was enough. With a serious and certain expression on her face, she answered:

"Then I'll listen to you."

tbc...


	4. Who The Hell Are you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song of the day: Iron - Woodkid

So Annalise told Alex everything that had happened. She told her how Sam had cheated on her with one of his students, how he had got her pregnant. How the student had been murdered and how she had found Sam's lifeless body on the floor during the investigation. How she had found out that her students had killed him. How she had given Wes directions to destroy the body and hide the evidence. Why she had decided to protect Wes. Who he was to her. And she also told her about how she had framed Nate, her lover, with the help of Frank.

She told her how miserable her life has suddenly become. She confessed everything, not just facts, but her feelings and fears. While she was talking, she looked at Alex the whole time.

Alex listened patiently, nodding every now and then to ensure she's listening, never interrupted. Putting her hand on her mother's shoulder, she did her best to give her comfort.

"Now, you know everything," Annalise stated when she finished, pushing herself back against the headboard and closed her eyes as if she was waiting for a rebuke from Alex, "Say what you have to say."

When no reply came, Annalise slowly, cautiously opened her eyes and found herself looking at the tightly-shut eyes and furrowed brow of her daughter.

"Oh, Alex. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she kept repeating the words _'I'm sorry'_ as she held her tight and the tears kept flowing.

Alex could feel it all now. The pain, fear, loss, devastation, helplessness, heartbreak that Annalise felt. She was cursing herself for leaving Annalise with that monster for too long, for never calling, for never asking how she was, for being a selfish bitch.

"Mom, it's alright. It's not your fault. It's not your fault!" Alex treid to calm Annalise down.

"No, it's my fault. All of it! I should have known... I shoud have... I should have stopped them, stopped him. I should have stopped him..."

"No, mom, you couldn't have known. None of it was your fault. Sam cheated on you, and probably killed that girl. He deserved it. Okay? He deserved it. You couldn't have known..."

"But I..."

"You did what you had to do. It's alright. You have to calm down, okay? We have to think."

"Okay"

"We have to do something for Nate, mom."

"I know. But I... I... I have run out of... run out of defenses. I have run out of answers. I can't think anymore!"

"We have to get him out of there. He needs a strong defense. You and I, us being around him could be a conflict of interest."

"Yeah!"

Suddenly Alex had a brilliant idea.

"Mom, it must be someone we could trust completely. I know who it is."

"Who?"

Alex didn't answer but the sparkle in her eyes gave her idea away.

"NOOOO!" Annalise protested, "No, Alex! No, no, no, NO! My answer is no!"

"Mom, why not! She's brilliant!" Alex sat up on the bed, crossing her legs in front of her.

"No! I can't! I just can't call Eve out of nowhere like some creep. It's been ten years!"

"You dont have to call her. I have a plan. Trust me."

*******

Alex heard people talking as she walked down the stairs. She watched them from the stairs for a while, trying to guess who was who according to her mother's explanations.

"Nate's phone shows he talked to Rebecca the day Sam died. The police want her to come in as soon as possible. It's fine, Annalise can prep her." That was Wes, it was obvious.

"Frank says she hasn't left her room since Nate was arrested." And that could be Laurel. Michaela was also there, sitting and listening to the others.

"Aw. You know, we should all go give her a hug, thank her for saving our butts." And yes, that was absolutely Connor.

"You know what, I think you should!" she couldn't hold her comments anymore. She looked Connor right in the eyes as she walked in the room. Asher, Frank or Bonnie weren't around, so she could talk to them without any secrets.

"Who the hell are you?" Connor asked with a sardonic expression on his face.

"Alexis Keating" Alex said, now it was her turn to smile cynically.

"Alexis who?" Michaela asked, screaming as if she saw a ghost.

"Keating. I'm the daughter of the man you have killed."

Everyone froze as Asher, and Frank walked in. Alex turned and looked at them smiling as if nothing had happened. Then she turned back to the confused four who were looking at her like they were about to begin sobbing.

"Who is she?" Asker asked Frank, whispering.

"She's Sam's daughter." Frank whispered back.

"Oh. Hi, I'm Asher Millstone," Asher said sincerely, reaching out for a hand shake ,"I'm so sorry for your father."

"Thank you," Alex smiled back, "I need to go out for a while. Please don't bother my mother with anything, she needs to rest."

"Your mother?!" Wes asked, bewildered.

"Aren't you a little too old to call Annalise your mother?" Michaela laughed.

"Aren't you a little too old to be so dumb?!" Alex glared.

Asher and Connor couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm going to the police station, if you need anything." Alex informed Frank and Bonnie.

"Police station?" Asher asked this time, "Is it about a case?"

Alex ignored his question.

"I mean if it is, shouldn't we deal with it? I mean, we are the Keating Five, right?!" Asher continued.

"Well Asher," Alex smiled with a scary energy, "I am the Keating One!"

With that she walked out of the house, leaving a very confused crowd behind.

"Oh wow," Asher stated fascinated, "I guess AK Junior is worse than the original one."

*******

The door to the interrogation room opened and Alex walked in, facing a very tense Nate Lahey.

"Who the hell are you?" Nate asked.

"Who the hell are _you_?" Alex asked back, "Who do you think you are, pleading not guilty, pretending you didn't do it? You killed him!"

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"You think someone framed you?"

"Go ask Annalise that!"

"Why did you do that, huh? Because of her? Because you loved her so much so you hated the idea of any other man having her?"

"Who the hell are you?!" Nate asked again, furious this time.

Alex put her both hands on the table and leaned her weight on it, looking into Nate's eyes. She made sure that her figure was blocking the security camera's view as she secretly dropped a piece of paper into his hands.

"I am the daughter of the man you have murdered," Alex smiled dangerously, "Trust me, you will see me again."

She turned around on her heels and left.

Nate slowly moved her hands under the table and carefully read the note:

"FIRE YOUR LAWYER. CALL 212-555-0192"

tbc...


End file.
